I’d like to provide the details of my Internal Medicine offering. The service will be based on an annual fee structure. Comprised in the fee are an annual physical, as well as visits specifically for an Internal Medicine issue (cough, fever, etc). This service does not apply to usual Cardiology visits, which are a separate entity, nor to cardiac procedures. The Internal Medicine and Cardiology visits may be combined, but this will not count as one of the included visits, and will incur the customary Cardiology fees.
Any members of this program will receive preferred appointment times, very rapid call-backs, and direct access to Marie for questions. Calls after hours should still be restricted to issues which cannot wait, and prescription refills will still be handled only during office hours.
The program will be limited to a small group of patients, both to ensure that I am able to meet the needs of the patients, and because the bulk of my practice will still be Cardiology.
The fee is payable as a single installment, and is nonrefundable, and guarantees a place in the program for one year from the payment date. You may call the office for a quote of this fee, and of any of the Cardiology fees.
I want to reiterate that this is a program for those patients without Internists, many of whom have asked me for many years if I’d be willing to take on the role of Internist. I am not trying to take people away from their physicians.
I will provide the same high-level, excellent, and personalized care to your general medical and preventative needs as I have provided for your cardiovascular care over the past 18 years. I will find you the best specialists for referrals, and endeavor to have you seen as quickly as possible.
As with any relationship, there is an expectation of mutual respect, from my staff and me to you, and the same in return. You will have rapid access to me after hours for emergencies through my answering service, but I will not be providing a mobile phone number. Very often, I need to find an area to speak which will ensure the confidentiality of the call, and answering calls at the immediate moment that they are received will not always be possible. I will provide my Internal Medicine patients with a separate email, but I prefer to discuss medical issues by phone, and will usually call in response to an email. Emails will be checked during business hours, and periodically after hours.
One note about the hospital. I no longer admit patients directly to the hospital. Care is best delivered by doctors who are in the hospital at all times. Internal Medicine and Cardiology have become bifurcated into inpatient and outpatient services. I do, however, stay very involved in the treatment plan and am in regular contact with admitting doctors. Should you need to be admitted, I will find the very best hospital-based doctors to deliver your inpatient care.
I look forward to this new and exciting avenue for my practice, and to providing you with the highest quality of care of any practice in the city.
Sincerely,
Mark L. Meyer, M.D.
